Monday, January 17, 2011

I love Monday holidays. It makes me sigh with relief all weekend whenever the realization hits me yet again..."I don't have to work on Monday." Sunday evening is NOT poisoned with dread.

Today, I wanted to "dink around." That's Darwin's favorite saying for doing whatever you darn well please. It wasn't hard to convince Janna and DarDar.

First, we checked out an old house that's for rent in Toquerville, in case Florie wanted it. It looked like it was decorated in Early Hippie.

Orange and purple walls, with curtain fabric that looked like it was ripped right off from an Indian maiden...India, not Native American...while she was wearing her best sari. It was GROOVY!

Next, we toddled on up to Virgin (aren't the names of our towns awesome?)to feed the burros. We had a whole refrigerator drawer full of wizened apples that I had always meant to cook up into applesauce so I wouldn't be a "waste-y Beecham." The only time I would have these applesauce thoughts would be when I opened that fridge drawer...and since it's my tricky OUTDOOR fridge...I hardly ever opened it. So the Dar-ster made an executive decision and pulled the whole drawer out to feed the burros. He has a soft spot for those darn animals.

The burros had voracious appetites. Holy cow. They were the funniest things. If we fed them too slowly, they started to whine. I didn't know burros could whine. These guys are professional beggars! One of them got so excited he chomped Janna's whole hand. She said it felt like her hand got caught in a car door. It still hurts. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you!

Then it was off to Errand Land...St. George. We were so efficient. We took back Christmas gifts that needed exchanging, shopped for health food items at Natural Foods, returned a Dyson vacuum to Costco and got another...hopefully, this one won't sound like a diesel with its Jake brakes on coming down the Hurricane hill whenever you use it. I must just insert right here how much I love Costco. The only problem is...I always end up buying things I don't really need. Today it was beef jerky...97% lean. Original flavor.

Finally, the piece de resistance: (click on the link and listen to the pronunciation, and pretend it's me talking!): driving to see the brand new St. George municipal airport. Darwin and Janna had attended the dedication of the new building earlier in the week...or last week. President Dieter Uchtdorf was there to give the dedicatory prayer...and Janna sidled right up to him through the throngs and masses of people and stuck her hand in his for a hearty handshake from the man she calls, "Our hottest apostle." I, on the other hand, had to work and couldn't be as free-as-a-breeze to attend these festivities. So I wanted the grand tour today.

It was awesome. Check it out.

They say that they will eventually have direct flights to Denver...so watch out, Kate and Bean. Won't that be cool?

Darwin was so happy when he found out that his picture is on the walls of the new airport, just as it was on the old one. Since he was one of the original members of the Desert Wings Flying Club, he is HISTORICAL.

Can you see him? He is the handsome one with the dark sunglasses. Look at the names.

That was then. This is now. I think he's STILL handsome!

Oh. We sandwiched a meal at the Pasta Factory in there, too. Only it wasn't a sandwich so much as veggie noodles with marinara for me. I could suck their marinara up like a vacuum cleaner, I think it's so good...but I might choke on the mountain of fresh Parmesan I have them grate on it.

About Me

I love people: Old ones, young ones, and all ages in-between. If you are a person and you are reading this, guess what? I LOVE YOU, you lucky dog! I adore my family most of all...and can I just say right here that grandkids really ARE the best? I am married to Darwin Gifford. Since there's only one of this wonderful man, you're out of luck. I got him first. We've been married 40 years now, and they truly are the best years of my life. We were blessed with 7 super-intelligent, talented and loving children: Aaron, Andrew, Katie, Janna, Shauna, Kendall, and Julianne.